Red Cross of the Poconos helped thousands in 2012

The American Red Cross of the Poconos had a busy year in 2012, dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy and several fires.

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By ANDREW SCOTT

poconorecord.com

By ANDREW SCOTT

Posted Jan. 1, 2013 at 12:01 AM

By ANDREW SCOTT

Posted Jan. 1, 2013 at 12:01 AM

» Social News

The American Red Cross of the Poconos had a busy year in 2012, dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy and several fires.

Local Red Cross members, including professional staff and more than 40 volunteers, provided 24-hour support at the East Stroudsburg University mega-shelter, which was opened for 10 nights for 142 residents displaced by power outages in Hurricane Sandy's wake, said Jim Rienhardt, executive director of the American Red Cross of the Poconos and Wayne and Pike counties.

These local members registered and oriented displaced residents, as well as arranged for beds, blankets, meals, medications, water and mental/emotional health services.

The local Red Cross also staffed an East Stroudsburg High School South shelter, which was open for three nights and hosted 66 displaced residents during the week-long power outages after the storm. Pocono Mountain West High School was open for five nights and hosted 12 displaced residents.

Pleasant Valley Middle School was opened as a warming station for five nights, providing meals, showers and water for 27 people, Rienhardt said.

The Red Cross also provided more than 500 heated meals to Delaware Water Gap residents.

Things were less busy in Pike and Wayne counties during 2012, Rienhardt said. In both counties, the Red Cross responded to a total of 21 incidents, provided 46 residents with the same services offered to Monroe County residents and arranged for 92 overnight lodging stays.

No Red Cross shelters were open in either county after Hurricane Sandy, but the agency had volunteers and other assets positioned at strategic locations throughout both counties so that shelters were available if needed. The agency also had professional liaisons at both counties' emergency operations centers, Rienhardt said.

In addition to problems caused by Hurricane Sandy power outages, the agency responded to 31 Monroe County incidents, including fires, in 2012, said Rienhardt.

The Red Cross served 84 Monroe County residents and arranged for a total of 126 overnight stays at area hotels and motels for residents displaced by fires and power outages, Rienhardt said. Assistance made available included medications and professional emotional/mental health services.

Aside from responding to disasters, the Red Cross trained and certified 2,722 Monroe, Pike and Wayne residents in health and safety programs including first aid, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, automatic external defibrillator use, water safety, lifeguarding, babysitter training and other skills. The agency also collected 5,574 units of blood from community donors in all three counties.

In addition, the Red Cross established emergency communications links between 106 families and their loved ones serving in the U.S. military, Rienhardt said.

And, since volunteers are key to the agency, 1,838 residents became volunteers.

"As both Red Cross chapters move into 2013, it is apparent that people in all three counties care and give back through their financial and in-kind generosity to the American Red Cross," Rienhardt said. "We thank everyone, whether it be the young boy who gave 50 cents or our major gift contributors.

"Our expenses in 2012 were extremely high as we expended significantly more money, due to Hurricane Sandy, providing support for Hurricane Isaac in August and the increased number of fires," he said. "Yes, our budget has been stretched, but we will always be there, providing our quality services for our residents in the Poconos and Wayne and Pike counties."